Were you your own child’s Morah?

amother

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 3:23 pm

Posting anon cuz I’ve been discussing this with friends and family for a while!

I teach 3-4 year olds and I have the option of having my 3 year old in my class next year... I am so torn because on the one hand I think she will thrive in my kind of classroom ... on the other hand, it might be challenging for both of us to handle the mommy/Morah balance

If you had your own child as a student in preschool , I’d love if you can pls share your experience with me? Was it the Best thing ever or a disaster of a year ? Any tips if I do choose to put her in my class?

The administration is letting me decide

amother

Jetblack

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 3:41 pm

Not really. I taught in my kids’ classroom once a week for an hour. Not the same as all the time. I think it’s a bad idea.

amother

Red

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 3:52 pm

My mother’s earliest memory is her own mother kicking her of her classroom because my mom was such a brat!

She’s say- everyone this is MY mother. You can’t touch her! Morah is MY mommy!!

amother

Bronze

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 3:53 pm

I have my own playgroup and kept my kids home until they turned 3 (sometimes 3 1/2)
Different than for 4 yrs old but I liked it.
My children definitely took advantage! Didn't listen to all the rules! (But at that age they don't really compare and ask why can he do that and not me?)
Will she be very jaleous of the attention you give other kids?
Do you think you will have enough of each other by the end of the day? Or is it part time?
Is there another teacher in the classroom?

amother

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 4:02 pm

amother [ Forestgreen ] wrote:

Is your class so different that the alternatives?

Yes! The alternatives all teach in Yiddish and my daughter doesn’t speak a word of Yiddish! I’m the only English speaking class...

amother

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 4:05 pm

amother [ Bronze ] wrote:

So she’s really not the jealous type ... I give my nieces and nephews tons of attention when we go to my parents for shabbos and she could not care less... I dnt know if I’ll have had enough of her by the end of the day - I hope not!
It’s 9:00-2:15 and I have one assistant

amother

Yellow

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 4:05 pm

I think having a your child in your classroom will take away some of the focus and attention you should be having on other kids.

amother

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 4:05 pm

amother [ Red ] wrote:

My mother’s earliest memory is her own mother kicking her of her classroom because my mom was such a brat!

She’s say- everyone this is MY mother. You can’t touch her! Morah is MY mommy!!

Oy!

amother

Forestgreen

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 4:07 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Yes! The alternatives all teach in Yiddish and my daughter doesn’t speak a word of Yiddish! I’m the only English speaking class...

That's a very important detail!!

I think its a poor idea generally - but given the alternative it makes sense (for your family).

amother

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 4:08 pm

amother [ Yellow ] wrote:

I think having a your child in your classroom will take away some of the focus and attention you should be having on other kids.

Hmmm... can you explain more? Like how do you see that playing out?

amother

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 4:09 pm

amother [ Jetblack ] wrote:

Not really. I taught in my kids’ classroom once a week for an hour. Not the same as all the time. I think it’s a bad idea.

What age?

amother

Cyan

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 4:12 pm

I had my 2 year old in my playgroup class one year.
Sometimes I found myself having higher expectations of my own kid. Like if someone had to wait or there wasn't enough, my kid would get the short stick because I felt at least her mother wouldn't complain.
I felt awkward every time my kid was chosen for something, like the mothers were assuming I was showing favoritism instead of just letting my kid have her turn for Shabbos Mommy.

amother

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 4:16 pm

[quote="amother [ Cyan ]"]I had my 2 year old in my playgroup class one year.
Sometimes I found myself having higher expectations of my own kid. Like if someone had to wait or there wasn't enough, my kid would get the short stick because I felt at least her mother wouldn't complain.
I felt awkward every time my kid was chosen for something, like the mothers were assuming I was showing favoritism instead of just letting my kid have her turn for Shabbos Mommy.[/quote

Sounds like you experienced a lot of inner conflict that year! Overall, did you regret having her in your group?

amother

Cyan

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 4:17 pm

[quote="amother [ OP ]"]

amother [ Cyan ] wrote:

It was the only group of its age, so I had no choice. I didn't regret, but I tried to avoid it for my other kids.

amother

Violet

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 4:28 pm

A nasty teacher in [city removed] who had a husband who was rosh yeshivah for boys taught her daughters in my class they would raise their hands and say mommy non of the kids in the class were frum who graduated and they all intermarried

amother

Hotpink

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 4:35 pm

My mother did it for many of us.

I think the only one it didn't work out with was me... they skipped me a grade because I refused to behave. (First grade)

It's not always an issue. For things like Shabbos Mommy just make a chart, try to avoid these issues in advance.

When my mother taught preschool the kids were all confused if her name was Morah ____ or Mommy Tongue Out

I teach one of my kids one period a week, it's totally a nonissue.

amother

Yellow

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 5:03 pm

amother [ Violet ] wrote:

And what are you trying to bring out by this? What's the point?

amother

Yellow

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 5:05 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Hmmm... can you explain more? Like how do you see that playing out?

She might demand more of your attention and you might find yourself focusing more on her because she's with you all day.